Patna: Construction of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) headquarters and training centre is at its final stage at Dilawarpur village near Bihta, with completion expected by July, officials said on Sunday.Being built at a cost of Rs 287.52 crore over 25-acre plot, the project includes a modern administrative building, quartermaster store, barracks, messes for officers and subordinate officers, housing for the commandant and deputy commandant, accommodations for head constables, constables and followers, hostels, dining hall, Quick Response Team (QRT) building, and a training block.“Facilities like a view gallery-cum-fitness centre, doctor’s quarters, housing for inspectors and sub-inspectors, and a national-level modern swimming pool for flood-relief training are nearing completion. Apart from housing facilities, a world-class training centre is also being constructed for the SDRF personnel”, an official of the state’s building construction department (BCD) said.The foundation stone for this project was laid by CM Nitish Kumar on April 30, 2023. The initial cost allocated for the project was Rs 267 crore, which was extended to Rs 287.52 crore, after design updates.“Most of the structures are complete. We are targeting July for inauguration,” said BCD secretary Kumar Ravi. He added that the facility will strengthen the state’s disaster management preparedness. “Regular inspection and monitoring is being done to ensure quality in the construction work and timely completion of the project,” Ravi said.Currently, the SDRF operates from a temporary facility at Dilawarpur village in Bihta, and due to lack of training centres, the personnel are forced to train outside the state. “With the permanent centre, our teams can be trained and mobilised rapidly during disasters,” an SDRF officer told this newspaper.The project aims at not only setting up a modern training centre but also equipping the local communities with necessary skills for disaster management. “This project will lift the state’s disaster response capacity to new heights,” Ravi added.